Rouhl RPW, Damoiseaux JGMC, Lodder J, Theunissen ROMFIH, Knottnerus ILH, Staals J, Henskens LHG, Kroon AA, de Leeuw PW, Tervaert JWC, van Oostenbrugge RJ. Vascular inflammation in cerebral small vessel disease.
Neurobiol Aging 2011;
33:1800-6. [PMID:
21601314 DOI:
10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.04.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2010] [Revised: 03/24/2011] [Accepted: 04/08/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is considered to be caused by an increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier and results in enlargement of Virchow Robin spaces (VRs), white matter lesions, brain microbleeds, and lacunar infarcts. The increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier may relate to endothelial cell activation and activated monocytes/macrophages. Therefore, we hypothesized that plasma markers of endothelial activation (adhesion molecules) and monocyte/macrophage activation (neopterin) relate to CSVD manifestations. In 163 first-ever lacunar stroke patients and 183 essential hypertensive patients, we assessed CSVD manifestations on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), neopterin, as well as circulating soluble adhesion molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-selectin, sP-selectin). Neopterin, sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels were higher in patients with extensive CSVD manifestations than in those without (p < 0.01). Neopterin levels independently related to higher numbers of enlarged Virchow Robin spaces (p < 0.001). An inflammatory process with activated monocytes/macrophages may play a role in the increased permeability of the blood brain barrier in patients with CSVD.
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